Differences in reading self-efficacy between school years and as a function of gender were studied in a sample of 1,060 Spanish students from the third year of primary education up to the fourth year of compulsory secondary education (equating to Years Four to Eleven in the British system). A scale for reading self-efficacy was used that differentiated three dimensions according to the level of complexity of the reading skills involved in a reading comprehension task. It distinguished between decoding skills, the construction of the textbase and the model of the situation. The results indicated a differential pattern of change in reading self-efficacy that emerged in the different dimensions, with a trend towards an increase in decoding and textual self-efficacy and a decrease in situational self-efficacy. In all dimensions of selfefficacy, the transition from primary to secondary education constituted a critical period. No differences in reading self-efficacy between the genders were observed during the period of education considered.Keywords: reading self-efficacy, differences between the genders, differences in schooling, reading comprehension achievement. ResumenSe analizan las diferencias en la auto-eficacia lectora entre cursos a lo largo de la escolaridad and en función del sex en una muestra de 1.060 alumnos españoles distribuidos desde 3.º EP a 4.º ESO. Se utilizó una escala de auto-eficacia lectora que diferencia tres dimensiones de acuerdo con el nivel de complejidad de las habilidades de lectura implicadas en la tarea de comprensión lectora, diferenciando entre habilidades ligadas a la decodificación, la construcción del texto base y el modelo de situación. Los resultados sugieren un patrón de cambio diferenciado en la auto-eficacia lectora en función de las diferentes dimensiones evaluadas, mostrando un incremento en la auto-eficacia en decodificación y textual, y un decrecimiento en la relacionada con el modelo de situación. En todas las dimensiones de la autoeficacia existe un periodo crítico en el paso a la Secundaria. No se obtuvieron diferencias en la auto-eficacia lectora en función del género a lo largo de la escolaridad.Palabras clave: auto-eficacia lectora, diferencias de género, diferencias en la escolaridad, rendimiento en comprensión lectora.

Se analizan los cambios en el nivel de auto-eficacia lectora del alumnado de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria desde un punto de vista evolutivo. La muestra la formaron 492 alumnos/as de 1º a 4º de la ESO (de 12 a 16 años), pertenecientes a cuatro centros públicos y cuatro centros privados-concertados de la provincia de León (283 hombres y 209 mujeres). Tras la aplicación del Cuestionario de Auto-eficacia hacia la lectura y los correspondientes análisis, se concluye la existencia de diferencias estadísticamente significativas en el patrón evolutivo del nivel de auto-eficacia lectora entre los cursos de 1º a 4º de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria en función de la edad, en relación a las medidas de auto-eficacia total y auto-eficacia en relación a los procesos de decodificación y fluidez, mostrándose un aumento del nivel de auto-eficacia lectora a medida que aumenta la edad. Sin embargo, no se observan cambios en relación a la auto-eficacia en los procesos relacionados con la formación del modelo de situación y modelo textual. Se discuten las implicaciones educativas, así como las limitaciones y perspectivas futuras de investigación.

Self-regulation is an important factor in achieving successful reading comprehension. This study analyses the effects of a self-regu¬lated strategy instruction programme versus a control group on reading comprehension performance, time spent applying strategies during the reading comprehension process and reading self-efficacy. The programme com¬prised two conditions (condition 1 and condi¬tion 2) in which the teachers provided direct and explicit teaching of self-regulation strategies before, during and after the reading process. In condition 2, explicit instruction in reading self-efficacy was added. In the control condi¬tion, teachers provided traditional instruction based on reading aloud, sequential reading, text questions and the use of dictionaries. A total of 180 Spanish primary school students from eight different Year 5 and 6 classes (aged 10-12 under the Spanish education system) were either assigned to one of the two experi¬mental conditions (Condition 1: N = 47. Con¬dition 2: N = 47) or to the control condition (N = 86). Pre-test/post-test/follow-up measures were taken (six weeks after the intervention) of reading performance, reading self-effica¬cy and time spent applying self-regulation strategies before, during and after reading through an online assessment. The results showed that the instructional programme had a positive and significant effect in the two ex¬perimental conditions compared to the control group in terms of reading performance and time spent applying self-regulation strategies before and after the reading process. Howev¬er, no statistically significant differences were observed in the time spent applying strategies during reading and in reading self-efficacy, neither between the two experimental condi¬tions nor between the experimental conditions and the control condition. The implications of these results and their contribution to educa¬tional practices are discussed.

This study analyzes changes on students ‘reading self-efficacy beliefs through the compulsory Secondary Education from a developmental perspective. Sample comprised 492 students from 1st to 4th Secondary Grades (from 12 to 16 years old), belonged to four public schools and four semi-private schools of León (283 males and 209 females). After the application of the Reading Self-efficacy Scale and the subsequent analysis, results suggested statistically significant differences in the developmental pattern of reading self-efficacy across the 1st to 4th grades of compulsory Secondary Education, specifically, in the global reading self-efficacy and the subscale of decoding and fluency reading self-efficacy. They showed an increase in reading self-efficacy along the grades. However, we did not find changes in the other reading self-efficacy subscales, reading self-efficacy in relation to the construction of the text model and the situation model of reading. Educational implications, limitations and future lines of research of this study are discussed.

This study analyzes changes on students ‘reading self-efficacy beliefs through the compulsory Secondary Education from a developmental perspective. Sample comprised 492 students from 1st to 4th Secondary Grades (from 12 to 16 years old), belonged to four public schools and four semi-private schools of León (283 males and 209 females). After the application of the Reading Self-efficacy Scale and the subsequent analysis, results suggested statistically significant differences in the developmental pattern of reading self-efficacy across the 1st to 4th grades of compulsory Secondary Education, specifically, in the global reading self-efficacy and the subscale of decoding and fluency reading self-efficacy. They showed an increase in reading self-efficacy along the grades. However, we did not find changes in the other reading self-efficacy subscales, reading self-efficacy in relation to the construction of the text model and the situation model of reading. Educational implications, limitations and future lines of research of this study are discussed.